


Darling, It's Better Down Where It's Wetter

by araydre, Fancy_Dragonqueen



Series: Ocean tides [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Amnesia, Falling In Love, Fanart, Fluff, Frotting, Idiots in Love, M/M, Modern AU, Soulmates, War Veteran Bucky Barnes, War Veteran Steve Rogers, curse, fairy tale, hugs for everyone, mermaid, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 19:40:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14722367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/araydre/pseuds/araydre, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fancy_Dragonqueen/pseuds/Fancy_Dragonqueen
Summary: When Tony makes the wrong woman angry he suddenly finds himself in the ocean. With a tail and amnesia. It's a wonderful life until he finds something very nice, very shiny falling into the ocean. Could this be his soulmate?





	Darling, It's Better Down Where It's Wetter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JacarandaBanyan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacarandaBanyan/gifts).



> <3 We hope you will like it!

_In ocean you'll stay,_

_while the world fades away._

_True love's first kiss_

_will be something you’ll miss;_

_the thirteenth full moon_

_will here you maroon._

_So you will know_

_what pain you have sown,_

_as I was there blushing,_

_my heart to you trusting,_

_you threw it away,_

_like a bloom in decay._

_May you have nothing!_

 

Peace.

When he closed his eyes and felt the water flooding around him he felt so peaceful. There was a rushing in his ears, the sweet embrace of the cold water around his body. He could hear some fish swimming beside him, soft giggles and murmurs, but all in all it felt good. Quiet and calm. Soothing.

Tony didn’t care for the fish, they were gossipping all the time. Teasing him for being lazy and just floating.  
He couldn’t imagine being like them. Chattering all the time. Swimming here and there. Then again he wasn’t like them. Of course, they shared a tail. His was bigger and more beautiful than theirs and still he was different. There were some like him -with arms and a head and more intelligent than the fishes- but they kept their distance. Murmuring. Watching.

Tony couldn't care less.  
He didn’t remember where he came from. Couldn’t remember what he was doing. He was only feelings and desires, only peace and happiness. He was free.  
Somehow it felt like he hadn’t been for a long time. Not that he remembered. Not that he cared about remembering.  
This.  
This life.  
It felt right.  
He wouldn’t change a thing. Not for every fish in the world. Somehow a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders, from his heart. Tony almost purred and opened his eyes, lips breaking into a huge smile. A carefree laugh broke out of him, he wriggled his tail and gave a powerful shove with his fin, sending him flying through the water. What a glorious feeling, the water parting in front of him, the endless ocean to his will.

Finally he was free.

*******************

“I fucking hate it.”

Bucky kicked a stone, frowned when he only managed to kick the ground, hurt his toes, the stone still lying looking mockingly at him.

“Hate you too.”

The stone didn’t answer. Of course not it was only a stone.  
It laid there and as nice as it would be to kick it again, he just sighed and shook his head. This wouldn’t help him a bit. Bucky closed his eyes and rubbed his face, groaning into his hands. Somehow nothing went right. Since he woke in a hospital bed, missing an arm he seemed to miss not only some of his memories, his good night’s sleep, and his sane mind. No he felt like he lost something very important. Nothing made sense, nothing good came to him. 

Sure he had Steve by his side, he didn’t want him to worry. He was grateful, god he was grateful that Steve hadn’t left him, that he rescued him, got injured too and left the army to help him get a foothold in the real world again. Sometimes he just wished Steve hadn’t done it.  
That he had left him to die, left him to rot and not go through everything.  
Nothing made sense anymore and nothing was filling him. No flirt, no work, no hobby nor food. Everything seemed so dull.  
Chronic depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociation. He knew the signs, knew what he had. He knew it was his trauma talking but it didn't change a thing. It didn’t change the feelings inside.  
Steve told him to give it time, to have faith.  
He was tired of having faith.

With a tired sigh he flopped down on the cliff, stared into the quiet sea.  
It was peaceful there, endless ocean. The quiet wind tugging at his hair.  
Bucky loved to close his eyes, loved to inhale the scent of fresh salty sea. It filled his heart with peace, a peace he searched so long for. Nothing could fill the void in him but the sea was very close to doing so.  
Sitting there and closing his eyes filled him with joy and washed his sorrows away, for a short moment he could be just himself, less than himself. He could be part of this silence, part of the sea. A romantic and maybe dumb feeling, but it was his.

A sudden crash behind his back made him flinch violently. He turned to the noise too fast, tried to stand up, looking for the approaching danger, but as soon as his feet touched the stones he knew that had been a mistake. His foot slipped, he could feel his sight change, a sudden burst of panic of falling again, grabbed for the cliff when his body went flying. His knee scraped on the cliff and his fingers searched for a hold, but there was nothing. The last thing he saw before falling into the ocean was the cloudless blue sky, the tip of the cliff and then he felt pain in his back, water above his face and then - nothing.

*******************

Tony smiled, rushing through the water and chasing some fish he didn’t know the names of, but they were shiny and quick, and liked to be chased. It was fun as long as he didn’t get hungry and eat one of them.  
Happened before. He was very sorry for that, but they seemed to have already forgotten all about it. Fish.

Tony giggled when he touched them and they broke into laughter, turning on their backs to play dead when he suddenly smelled it. Blood. Not far away from them. Tony stopped chasing, the fish swam again away from him to encourage him to catch them, but Tony was too curious not to investigate. It didn’t smell like fish blood and he wanted to know what it was, only a faint smell so not a big injury. Either way it wasn’t fish, therefore still something new. He rushed to the shore, where the big stones were.There were scary things, like him and the others, but without a single big tail. They had two strange tails without scales and the others had warned him about showing himself to them. They were dangerous, they would hurt and take away the ocean.  
A dumb thought, how could they take away the ocean?  
Tony didn’t want to take a chance. He loved his ocean. No one would take that away from him.

Indeed there was something new, something big slowly sinking to the ground. It was attached to something shiny, something big shiny, not as large as the whole thing but big enough to catch his attention. Much bigger than the fishes he liked to chase.  
Curious he swam closer, not wanting to be caught and seen and taken away, but somehow he felt the thing wouldn’t hurt him. It didn’t move besides the sinking downwards.

_He will die._

A quiet voice in the back of his head told him, made him frown. Huh. Why?

_He can’t breathe, he needs to come up for air._

That was dumb, it could just open his mouth and breathe, but somehow there wasn’t any movement so perhaps it needed help with that? There were bubbles coming out of its mouth, but nothing got in. Tony didn’t think more, grabbed the thing with two tails around its waist and brought it to the surface, cuddling it close.  
Huh, it was bigger than Tony, and felt good to cuddle. The thing was warmer than anything Tony had cuddled in the sea. Not that the fish liked to be cuddled. He had met this one big scary fish with sharp teeth that had liked to snuggle up, but it had been rough and not as pleasant as this nonfish. Also it had been one of them other bigger fishes with arms and a head like his and had complained the whole time, even when Tony thought it liked to be cuddled. His inner voice had told him to cuddle some more and really, if the thingie had wanted no cuddles, it would have been able to shove him away easily.

Nonfish was a good word for it Tony decided, and looked to the shore. He was unsure what to do, the nonfish was still not moving, its head just flopped onto his shoulder. Hm. Like that Tony couldn’t look at the shiny thing and that wasn’t very nice. He wanted to see it!

Without a second thought he swam to the shore, carefully avoiding the nonfish thingie getting its head under water. Somehow he felt like that would be a bad thing. Tony dragged it onto the sand, flopping down on it and rubbed his face on the broad chest. This one was big and wasn’t complaining about his cuddling. It was nice and only one thing bothered him. There was something covering the nonfish and Tony didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t like it very much. With a frustrated huff he tried to tug on it to get it away, but nope, still not moving. His hands searched for the shell he normally used to cut of green algae from the ground to eat. It cut through the distracting fabric without difficulties. What was fabric? Sometimes there were strange words in his mind and he just rolled with it. There was no point in thinking about it, he had decided, nothing of his appearing knowledge had hurt him and it was always nice to discover something new. Even if he already knew, but had forgotten about it.

The fabric was gone and finally he could see the shiny thing attached to the nonfish. It was it’s arm, and Tony crawled on the nonfish to get out of the sand. He didn’t like the sand, and the nonfish was warm and nice like that. In this position he was able to look at the shiny thing too, his tail playing in the water, splashing lazily as he examined the thing while cuddling closer to the nonfish. With a soft hum he turned a bit, suddenly startled by the nonfish moving and coughing and spitting water. It shoved at him with the shiny thing and suddenly Tony was lying on the sand while nonfish curled like a, well Tony didn’t know anything that curled like that, and hugged its tails. Curiously he poked the nonfish in the face, looking to see if there was some more water coming out. Was this how the nonfishes were taking the ocean away? It didn’t look like the whole ocean could fit into it.

Big blue eyes opened in the face and Tony stopped in his tracks to stare openly at it.  
Wow.  
The nonfish had eyes like the sea, mesmerizing and calling Tony to it. He smiled and crawled a bit closer, hugging the ocean-nonfish. It was an amazing nonfish, not only had it wonderful eyes that reminded him of home, he had a shiny arm and was all warm. Tony felt happy.

“Did you-” Another cough shook the nonfish, making Tony cling harder to not let go again. Like that he could see the shiny thing too, wanted to lick it to see if it was something he could eat, although he knew he couldn’t just eat something from nonfish. Still. A fish needed to test what he could eat.

“Woah. You’re a strange one. But you dragged me out of the ocean I guess, so thank you. I fell from the cliff and seriously. Not the best experiences with- could you maybe stop licking my arm?”

Tony stared at the nonfish, his tongue still out of his mouth. For a moment he considered pouting until he snuggled closer again. Kay. No licking. But the nonfish was warm and he loved that feeling. Content he closed his eyes. The nonfish had eyes like the ocean so he wouldn’t take the ocean away from him, that was enough.

*******************

It hurt.  
There was water in his lungs and he coughed and coughed and something big was crushing his ribs until he shoved it away. He heard a distant thump, a body hitting sand, but couldn’t care right now for whatever was there. He coughed again, water pouring out of his mouth, a strange warmth in his body and suddenly he could breathe again, without problems. Huh. That shouldn’t be possible with the saltwater but there he was. Strange. Not that he wanted to look a gift horse in mouth, he was just glad he wasn’t dead. He wasn’t dead, was he?

Bucky couldn’t think more of it because suddenly he was poked in the cheek. Confused he opened his eyes when the finger hit him again, staring right into curious brown eyes. They seemed to lighten up and within another breath the man was clinging onto him, hugging him like he was a lifesaver. Okay. Not weird at all. Somehow it was a bit cute. The man seemed smaller than him but a bit heavier than he should be with how lean he was. He smelled of saltwater which made him think that the man really had rescued him out of the ocean.  
On the other hand the man licked his metal arm while Bucky tried to talk with him. Perhaps Bucky fell on him and gave him a concussion? He wanted to ask if the man was okay when he caught sight of -a tail. A big tail. Bucky froze, staring at the tail that clearly was connected with the man in his arms.

“Uhm… are you, are you okay?”

Either there was a very big fish eating the man or he was a cosplayer or something like that. Other explanations were totally crazy and he refused to think the man was a merman. With an amazing tail, red and gold shining in the sun. There were delicate fins on the tail, slowly drying out. The man didn’t seem to care, he purred contentedly and rubbed his face on Bucky’s naked chest. Wait. Naked? When did he- Bucky could feel fabric around one of his arms and under his back but not on his chest. Could the day become any stranger?

The man in question purred and wriggled his tail a bit more, like an eager dog mixed with a purring cat and the scales of a fish. Bucky really shouldn’t think of it as totally cute and awesome, intriguing even.  
Maybe he had hit his head very hard or he was dead or in a coma and had a very strange dream. Would explain the sudden warm feeling and why his lungs were totally okay, even after he inhaled salt water. Perhaps he was dying in a hospital right now?  
No that couldn’t be. He had Steve worrying so much, no dying accepted. In fact as dark as everything was the whole time, he loved to live. There were good times coming even when everything seemed gray. He just needed to be reminded of it now and then.

“Okay. This is getting really weird.”

Bucky shoved the man off of himself, slowly standing up while the creature looked offended. Not caring for the quickly forming pout he observed the situation. His clothes were ruined. That has been one of his beloved shirts. He liked to wear it when he was down and now it was ruined. Bucky sighed and got rid of the rest of the fabric, kneeling down to retrieve the shreds lying in the sand. The merman, seriously it was a man, naked body and tail and somehow cute beard -he had never pictured a male merman, somehow it made sense that they could have a beard- now clinging to his legs and rubbing his face on his shins. What the-.

With a sigh he patted the man’s head and smiled. Somehow it was cute. Obviously he had changed from pouting to charming and wanted to behave like a giant cat. The man almost melted into the touch, trying to get as much as possible and clearly enjoying every second.  
Staying would be nice but Bucky needed to get back, get another shirt and meet Steve before his friend got worried, and there was still his job as a waiter. If this really was a dream he could just come back to the merman or cosplayer or whatever he was. His brain hadn’t caught up with the fact that it could be a real merman. 

“Thank you for rescuing me. I don’t know if you’re a dream or reality, but I need to go for now. Is there something I can do to thank you for helping me?”

Bucky didn’t know if the man understood what he said or if he just didn’t want to talk and ignored him, but then the man smiled his carefree smile and tried to stretch, to perhaps hug him again? Bucky wasn’t so sure.

“Wanna go with you.”

It sounded strange, somehow rough, like the man hadn’t talked for too long. Bucky didn’t even know if mermen talked underwater or how it could affect them, but he shook his head.

“I can’t take you with me. I can visit you.” Maybe the merman was lonely like him. It made him sad that the man perhaps didn’t have a lot of others of his kind. He heard that some fishes were dying from pollution and everything, perhaps it was the same with mermen?

Either way the man looked so sad as he slowly lowered his arms. It made Bucky’s heart ache to see the man’s face changing from happy to dejected as if Bucky had stolen everything from him. There was a pout forming on the cute face again, and Bucky tried to smile, but got only a sniff in return.

“Wanna with you.”

Maybe he didn’t act like a cat or a dog, more like a child. Bucky didn’t know if it was from their cultural difference or if the man was in fact really young. Then again he wouldn’t have a beard if he was young? He looked like a full grown man, his tail long and slim, the muscles defined. There was something like a belt around his hips with little bags that seemed to contain things. He looked well fed. Somehow he didn’t think the merman was a young one, he felt not old but mature. Bucky didn’t know why that mattered for him.

“You will take shiny from me.”

Shiny?  
Bucky followed his gaze and looked at his arm. Oh. If that’s what the man wanted he would not be able to help him.

“That’s my arm and I’m sorry, but I need it. I will come back, okay?”

Bucky heard the church clock ringing, thank god he hadn’t had a phone with him. It would have been ruined in the water. It was enough that he had the church clock.

“I’m sorry. Name’s Bucky by the way. I will come visit you after work, but I really need to go, I can’t lose this one too.”

Bucky smiled one last time at the man, turned and ran. It felt wrong to go but at the same time it felt wrong to stay. He was confused and didn’t know what to do, how to react. Maybe he was going crazy after all. A merman. When he looked back there was no one on the shore. 

*******************

Shiny was gone.

The nonfish called Bucky took the shiny and just got away. Got away with his ocean eyes and his warmth and all the shiny. How could he just go? Tony didn’t want him to go. He had told Tony that he would be back, but when was that? Surely not soon enough. Tony pouted and returned to the water, for a moment thinking of what he could do now to wait.  
Or… he could just swim and see where Bucky was going! Except the nonfish was already gone and he couldn’t follow him on the shore, he only had one tail and he had once tried to swim like that on the beach. He had only flopped back into the water and dismissed it as a thing he couldn’t do. Now that he thought about it he should have tried harder.  
Tony let himself float on his back, looking at the sky and the flying fishes that sometimes played with the silvery fishes and took them away. Sometimes he waved at them but they didn’t came down to talk. Tony sighed and let himself be carried by the sea. Sometimes the ocean showed him new things. Maybe it wanted to cheer him up.  
A nudge on his fingers made him lay his head further into the water, his belly still in air and tickled by the wind.  
His shiny fish friends were there, nudging him again.

“Okay, okay. I can play. Nonfish will come soon and I need to be here. So not too far, okay?”

Tony didn’t know if they understood him, but soon forgot about it and chased after them. They were going another way, but surely not to lead him too far away. He didn’t know that area and somehow the water got dirtier the farther they went. Urgh. Fishies didn’t care and so he chased them anyway, rolling around and trying to catch them when one of them got feisty and tried to chase him instead.

They were adorable and sometimes reminded him of something else. Something that was also shiny and chased him, playing with something round and giving him things he couldn’t grasp anymore.  
Tony shook his head and smiled at the fish trying to nip his nose.

“I’m no food. Shush. Go away.”

Talking made him inhale more of the water and it was just ugly and not at all like his ocean, so he scrunched his nose and rose to the surface. He didn’t know why the fishes had led him here, they didn’t like dirty water either. What was that smell? And that sound? Tony blinked and looked around. This wasn’t the ocean anymore.  
It was more of a tube surrounded by stones but not the stones he found on the ocean ground. Tony was startled and took his head back into the water, only his eyes looking wide to take everything in. He didn’t want to miss anything.  
There were strange things around him, a nonfish was sitting in something shiny, very fast and soon was away again. Huh. He at least hoped that it was a nonfish, but no fish should be in something shiny like that. It made his fins crawl, made him want to hide.  
His eyes widened when he saw Bucky, his nonfish with the shining arm, going out of something that was *a house*.

Tony tried to get Bucky to notice him, waved and called but he was too quiet, the nonfish was fast and soon away. Not in the direction of the ocean so he wasn’t looking for Tony.  
Tony pouted. He really wanted to be with his shiny, warm nonfish. Why make this hard? His nonfish had promised he would look for Tony later. Now was later than before. Maybe he had forgotten about it? 

Carefully he looked if anyone was watching but there were no nonfishes around.  
His tongue between his lips he heaved himself out of the water. He could reach the house and then his nonfish would be happy with him and they could play all day. Well he could play with the shiny arm and Bucky could look nice. He was indeed really nice looking for a nonfish. The two tails were a bit strange but Tony could ignore that for the moment.  
Moving over to the house kinda hurt. Not bad but, it wasn’t pleasant.  
The funny tickling green thing had been awesome, but the other thing he crawled over reminded him of sand. Tony didn’t like that at all, his belly was soft and the skin would turn red after just a bit of rolling in the sand. He liked the tickling green way better.  
Tongue between his lips, he managed to roll and drag himself to the hole that may or may not be a cave. He had dismissed the term house because he didn’t know what it was, a cave made much more sense than that strange nonword.

The whole ordeal took a while. Mostly because he had spent so much time giggling in the green until it made him sneeze which was a funny yet unexpected feeling.Tony was very proud when he finally arrived his destination. Now he only needed to get inside the cave. Not easy with the _door locked_. A familiar feeling rushed through him, the voice of a woman and a soft swish, a door sliding to the side. No Pepper we’re the future. No knobs nor keys.  
Tony shook his head. Again a strange dream, but this time he was wide awake.  
Confused and tired he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes just for a few moments.

Tony woke to the opening of the door, falling inside the cave he blinked up to a big nonfish who stared back at him.

“Not Bucky.” Tony stated. He had tried to talk a bit outside of the water during his way to the cave and found it not as bad as before. It was new and strange but it didn’t hurt and he couldn’t hold his mouth still either way. It could hurt all it wanted, he liked to talk and he didn’t like the calm sometimes. Most of the times. Tony threw a short look at the nonfish’s arms and frowned. “And no shiny.”

Worse. A nonfish had seen him and now he would take the ocean away from Tony. Also his own nonfish still wasn't anywhere to be seen. Tony felt miserable. With a sad sniff he blinked back at the nonfish who kneeled beside him and talked something about not crazy and bringing back into the river. Tony didn’t want the river, didn’t want crazy, he only wanted Bucky and shiny and the ocean. That couldn’t be that difficult, could it? Bucky was nowhere to be seen and Tony didn’t know why that hurt so much. He had promised and promises were important weren’t they?

“Come on, you’re very dry. I don’t think that’s good for you. Let’s bring you back into the water.”

Strong arms under his tail and behind his back heaved him up and Tony felt himself pressed against a broad chest. It was in no way as warm and pleasing as his shiny nonfish's body. Tony growled at the new nonfish, grabbed onto a surface and tried to wriggle into the cave. He didn’t like that he hadn’t sharp teeth like one of his bigger friends. His rough friend wouldn’t let himself be dragged away like that.

“No. No. No! Need him! Need Bucky. I hate you. I hate you.”

“Whoa, hey. Easy.”

The nonfish stopped and tried to adjust his hold, causing Tony to almost topple over and the man with him. He still clutched onto the surface for dear life not caring if he would get hurt.

“It’s okay. Please. I will bring you inside. We have a bathtub. You can wait there for Bucky, okay?”

The voice was caring, soothing and fond and made his fast beating heart calm down a bit. Tony needed to be sure.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Promises weren’t allowed to be broken so he let go, clutching onto the nonfishes neck instead who almost lost his balance. Tony snickered a bit at the quiet curse the man murmured, close enough to hear it.

“I don’t even wanna know how you knew where Bucky lives.”

“Followed the fishes. Promised to come back later but didn’t.”

Tony thought it was okay for him to pout. It wasn’t a broken promise yet because he didn’t know when later was, but later could have been anywhen!

“He needs to work, he will come home after his shift, don’t worry. He never breaks promises.”

That was good.  
Tony believed the nonfish and nodded, leaning heavy against it. Somehow he felt tired now, yawning against the strangers neck and closed his eyes. Only for another second.

He napped through the elevator and the floors, until he felt something cold at his tail, blinking up in confusion when something wet hit him. Wait. He needed- Flabbergasted he stared at the blonde nonfish and the white thing he was in. It was so little he fit in, but his fin was hanging out of it. Carefully he wriggled it a bit. Hm. There was water coming out of a shiny thing and he tried to grab it to see what was happening.

“Is it good or should I make it a bit colder? Warmer? I don’t know what you need?”

Tony smiled and nodded. It was okay, he didn’t like cold very much but it was not as cold as the ocean so it was okay. He had never felt warm water, but it would be nice if it existed.

“Good.” He took a handful of water to drink from his hands only to wrinkle his face and stuck his tongue out.

“Tastes strange. Ocean tastes different.”

“Ah. I know what you need. Gimme a second. God. I can’t believe I’m salting a merman now.”

The nonfish murmured again, leaving the room to let Tony curl inside the bathtub to fit his fin in, too. It was kinda nice to be in there, a bit small, but secure and Tony nodded off again. In his sleep he felt the water turning better, more to the taste and smell he new, still different, but not that bad anymore, not knowing that the nonfish had gotten all salt he had in the apartment. His dreams were pleasant full of joy and familiar faces, new ones too, both of the new nonfishes together with the nonfishes of his other dreams. They were nice together, still it was a bit strange even in his dream, to not have one tail but two tails like them. How ridiculous to dream to be a nonfish.

*******************

What a day.  
Bucky smiled at his chef, a very stern redhead that could conquer the world with her pinkie. Really, Bucky didn’t know how she managed to look that cute one moment only to smile at you like she had already 37 kind of ways in her mind to kill you with her toothpick. 38 possibly. One couldn’t know with her.

“Looking good today, Barnes. Happy.”

It was more a question than a statement, she was observant as hell and Bucky wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t already know everything about him. His past, his present, his future and that of his nonexistent goldfish. Well. Very much existent gold and red merman.

“I almost drowned.”

Nat raised one of her perfectly trimmed eyebrows and stared a bit longer, not judging, observing.

“Fell down the cliff after being startled by some noise, don’t know what it was though.”

A sly smile formed on her face.

“So. Cute guy dragging you out of the ocean to give you some mouth to mouth.”

“That’s damn scary. I don’t even want to know how you know that I’m gay.”

“Please. I’ve seen you look at some nice ass and it wasn’t female. In fact you have never looked at a woman the same way and you’re way too nice.”

Bucky opened his mouth to ask what him being nice had to do with him being gay, but he was interrupted by the blond tornado that was his replacement for the next shift.

“Are we talking about Bucky dating someone finally? What’s his name?”

Bucky groaned and stared at them both, shaking his head. Did everyone knew he was gay? Not that he made a mystery out of it but, well. He didn’t want everyone looking at him and whispering behind his back, not more than they already did. Steve told him he saw ghosts, but Bucky was sure they did. What would they say knowing he had been rescued by a merman? Even thinking about him made Bucky’s heart grow warm. The merman had dragged him out of the water and had been so cute. Even the arm licking had been more adorable than weird. ‘Kay a bit weird too, but mostly adorable. It was a pity Bucky had needed to leave him alone to get to his shift, but Nat would kill him if he didn’t show up. She had once dragged him out of his bed, and then into the shower when one of his worse days hit. Didn’t allow him to waste his life. Also he really didn’t know how she got into his home, she didn’t have a key and Steve hadn’t been there at the time.  
Fingers snapping in front of his face dragged him out of his thoughts.

“Aw look at him being all cute and spacing out while thinking about the love of his life. God Nat, he’s blushing! Bet he’s still a virgin.”

“Betting against it. He lost his innocence in high school.”

That woman really knew everything.

“Uh. I actually don’t know if he told me his name. I was late for my shift and he destroyed my shirt so I needed to run back home to change and-”

“He destroyed your shirt? Woah, going lengths there Barnes. Nice.”

Nat watched him a bit more closely, her stare turning dangerous but Bucky only smiled back at her. It felt nice that she cared for him, but he wouldn’t like his merman to become sushi at her hands.

“When will you meet him again?”

“I- I told him I will meet him again at the shore.”

“But you didn’t agree on a time? God Barnes. You need to learn a lot.”

Clint groaned like Bucky was the human disaster and not himself. Not that Bucky thought the merman would be able to read a clock. He didn’t even know if the man would wait for him.

“Go. Now. Perhaps he’s still waiting for you. You can’t just run away from him and not even get his number!”

Bucky was clearly sure that his merman didn’t own a phone, there was no way to contact him except screaming at the water. Though Bucky was pretty sure it wouldn’t help much to tell Nat a fact like that. The redhead looked even scarier now while throwing him out of the pub, him running as fast as he could to the shore, just that it was already night and he couldn’t see a thing. The moon was there but the water was dark and there was no merman to be seen. Bucky wanted to yell, wanted to whisper, but he felt like a dumbass and just tried to find the place where the man had rescued him, flopping down on his ass and waiting.

It felt like hours while he waited for the man to appear. Hours there on the shore while the sand under his feet slowly turned cold, even too cold to fall asleep. Bucky didn’t like the cold. Not after everything that had happened to him and Steve, but he didn’t want to miss his mysterious merman. Didn’t even know if it had been real or a dream. Perhaps it was a normal human that had dragged him out of the water instead of a wonderful creature -which still made him a wonderful creature but that wasn’t the point. With a soft smile he remembered the scales, red and gold, shimmering in the water, in the sun. There wasn’t just one big fin, like in the Disney Movie. The fin had been delicate, long and broadly based. There had been two smaller fins? Where they even called fins, Bucky didn’t know. He wasn’t that knowledgeable with fishes, he mostly liked the ocean and the calmness. Fishes as colorful as this one could be seen in zoos and aquariums but not here on the shore so the merman must be from far away. Probably.

It felt horrible now to sit on the shore, waiting for the man to show up. Felt like something was amiss, his heart heavy and he really didn’t want to go. Just that he needed to go. It was getting too chilly and he couldn’t catch himself a cold. Nat would kill him if he took some sick days that he had brought upon himself because he wasn’t taking care with his body.  
With slumped shoulders Bucky returned to his home, returned to their shared appartement, skipping the bathroom and brushing teeth, and just flopped into his bed. His shoes discarded he managed to shrug out of his clothes without actually leaving the bed and threw them on the ground where they stayed in a chaotic heap. Bucky crawled under the blanket to warm himself up a bit. For a second he thought about taking a bath or a hot shower but that meant he would needed to get up. No way he would leave his bed now.

Bucky didn’t know when he finally fell asleep.  
His dreams were filled with ocean and the merman, both of them in the water, a tail similar to the mermans where Bucky’s feet normally were. It was a strange feeling to not have legs, but it felt good. Right. The merman giggled at him, snuggling up into his personal space and leaned his head on Bucky’s chest, searching for his heartbeat to close his eyes and enjoy it like that. Bucky could get used to this. He didn’t know why it felt so right to want the man beside him. They don’t even know each other. Hell, he could be just a hallucination. He could be- everything Bucky ever wanted, ever craved for. Why it hurt so much that he wasn’t there, hurt like something important had been taken from him, Bucky didn’t know.  
Bucky felt drawn to that merman and here in his dream they were together. It was just right.

When Bucky woke he woke with a smile. He could still feel the water under his fin, the sand between his fingers where he had lain with his merman. Cuddling, Bucky knew the man didn’t like the sand on his back or his belly so he always liked to lie on top of Bucky to purr and snuggle. Bucky could still feel the warmth and he really would love to go back to sleep, or to daydream a bit. Just that his mouth tasted like something had crawled into it and died. Brushing teeth it was.

With a soft sigh he tugged on some boxers, yawned and ruffled through his hair. It was almost shoulder length now and he didn’t know if he should let it grow like that or cut it. He kinda liked it like it was.  
Still yawning Bucky entered the bathroom, walking straight to the sink and grabbing for his toothbrush and some toothpaste. Brushing his teeth he closed his eyes to not get awake too much, not with him wanting to go back to sleep. The soft splashing of water made him sleepy and reminded him of his dream, made him smile around the thing in his mouth. He almost rammed it right into his throat when he felt a wet hand on his leg, tugging at his boxershort. With a very unmanly yelp he jumped back, dropping the toothbrush whilst staring at the bathtub. Filled with water. And his very own wet dream, pun totally intended. The merman blinked at him, curious and with wide brown eyes, a slowly growing smile on his face.

“You’re here!”

Bucky nodded. Yes. He was here, in his home. Where his bathtub was filled with a inhuman being. Bucky frowned at the term inhuman, it sounded so rude. Somehow.  
The merman had crossed his arms on the edge of the bathtub, his head lying on his arms and a lazy smile on his lips. The brown eyes were shining and Bucky blushed when he followed the lines of the man’s torso down his exposed tail. Of course it was exposed Bucky scolded himself, what should a merman wear? A dress? Not that it wouldn’t suit him.

“I-What are you doing here?”

The man looked a bit uneasy now, his smile faltering a tiniest bit until it was there again.

“Missed you?”

His voice was shy, honest and hopeful, looking at Bucky like he wanted him to stay here now, not that Bucky was able to keep the man in his bathtub. However he got in there. Not that he didn’t want him to be near him, god no. Bucky was overjoyed at seeing him again. He had thought he had lost him, or had finally gone crazy.

“Oh there you are.”

The bathroom door had opened and Steve smiled at Bucky, nodding at the merman.

“Found him outside of the door, he wanted to come to you and was very persistent about it. Thought it might not hurt because he really didn’t want to go back into the river, I couldn’t let him sit outside, he was already dried out.”

Steve ignored Bucky’s look and sat down onto the edge, carding his fingers through the merman’s hair who purred like a cat and looked up at Bucky as if to tell him he should do that too.

“He’s the one that rescued me yesterday.”

Bucky smiled faintly, not knowing what to do. He didn’t want Steve to touch his merman. A pang of jealousy went through him, only knowing that Steve would never do anything and that he was his friend and could be trusted restrained him from growling at his best friend.  
What was happening there?

“He has shiny.” The merman whispered loud to Steve who nodded serious at him and grabbed for Bucky’s arm, dragging him closer.

“You can touch him, if you want, he won’t bite you.”

The man’s eyes widened a bit at the prospect that Bucky could bite him, eyes wide open in something between awe and wariness and Bucky found himself kneeling beside the tub, carefully stroking the man’s hair himself now. Steve had meant that the merman wouldn’t bite him, but somehow this adorable thing had understood it wrong. As if he could hurt him. There were things he could do with him but there was no real hurt during that bite he wanted to try. Not that he was only interested in that. Bucky could see Steve smiling encouragingly at them. It was nice that he didn’t ask, just accepted that there were strange things out there and both of them seemed to drag them in.

“Hello. Don’t worry I won’t bite you.”

The merman smiled one of his easy smiles and blinked slow at him.

“Kiss me?”

There was a sudden change, a flicker of recognition in the merman’s eyes and he slowly shook his head, as if to clear it, until he nodded and touched Bucky’s lips, then his own.

“I-” Bucky wanted to tell him that no that wasn’t a good idea, was it? They didn’t know each other and he couldn’t just kiss a stranger, couldn’t take advantage of the merman, when he felt cold but soft lips on his own. With a whine he leaned forward, grabbing the man’s neck and massaging it carefully. Bucky moaned quietly into the merman's mouth. A sudden burst of happiness flared in his belly, warmed his whole body. He could feel wet hands on his shoulders drawing him near, opened his mouth to let the curious tongue in, searching and discovering, drawing little content noises out of them both. They totally forgot about Steve right then and there, consumed by the kiss that was more than just a thank-you-kiss.

There was a bright shine and a scream, something changed and then Bucky was thrown against the wall, sliding down, he could hear Steve talking, the merman’s whine and opened his eyes to see.

 

*******************

Woah.  
That hurt.  
Tony could feel his muscles aching, his bones felt like they were breaking in half only to be mend into something else.  
As fast as the pain had come, his whole body shaking, his head hurting, it was gone again.

“Hah.”

“Wow. Okay. That’s. Ooookay. You okay? Bucky you okay too?”

Tony opened his eyes to see that he was lying in a bathtub, still lying there while the blonde that had picked him up from the doorstep kneeled beside his friend. It was a cute brown haired man with an awesome looking prosthesis that might be his own work, who stared at him with wide eyes.  
With a groan Tony sank back into the water, staring up at the ceiling as he remembered what had happened.

“What the actual fuck.”

Tony turned in the bathtub, sitting up and staring at Bucky in something like awe and wonder and fear, and suddenly he felt so vulnerable he wanted to drown himself in the saltwater tub.

God.

“You’re my true love.” Tony ignored his nakedness and stood, stumbled out of the bathtub only to be grabbed by the blonde that stood up to help him. Tony couldn’t care less, his eyes only on Bucky. With help he kneeled down in front of him, smiling in a wicked grin when the man stared back and honestly blushed, trying to not look below his waist.

“I think I will leave you alone, but perhaps you should take that into the bedroom. Not- Not for that, don’t look at me like that you two, just to talk, I think it’s more comfortable than sitting here on the floor.”

“He’s right you know.”

The man of his dreams. Bucky stood up and looked at Tony for a second with an unreadable expression before he shrugged and leaned down to get him up, holding him bridal style and kidnapped Tony off to his bedroom. At least Tony hoped it was his bedroom they were heading to, sliding his arms around the man’s neck and inhaling his scent. God. He knew what had happened, knew he had been cursed, but finding true love, finding someone who would be right for him and he for that person. That blew his mind.

And wasn’t the man beautiful? Gorgeous even?  
Tony didn’t know if it was a joke or really fate, couldn’t believe he could be that lucky, but when the man laid him down onto the bed, looking at him with such a love and wonder in his eyes, not daring to let go of him he only could answer him with a small, shy smile.

“I don’t even know your name and here I am, not able to take my hands of you, not even to close the door.” Bucky whispered and looked at him with a small fear in his eyes, as if Tony would vanish the second he left him alone.

“Tony, my name is Tony, and I won’t move while you close the door and come to bed.”

Not to have sex with him, god knews he wanted to have sex with the man, but right now he only wanted to talk, wanted to get to know him. Get to know the man that had dragged him out of the ocean - well it had been the other way round, but it had been Bucky that rescued him in the end.  
Bucky smiled down on him, stroked his arms in a loving way and almost ran to the door to close it and back to Tony, who giggled at him breathless. The man grabbed a blanket, throwing it over both of them, and moved a bit closer so that he could look at Tony, one hand slowly touching Tony’s hip, as if he was afraid that Tony didn’t want it.

“I like your warmth and your eyes and your arm, and I think I like you.”

Bucky laughed and moved another inch closer, close enough that their noses were almost touching. “I think I like you too. I don’t know what happened, but there was this hole-”

“-and suddenly you feel complete? Like the longing in your heart is filled? The deep void in you suddenly gone?”

“Yeah. That.”

Tony smiled back and closed his eyes nudging Bucky’s nose with his own until a thought made him open his eyes in horror.

“Oh my god. I had the mind of a fish. I tried to see if I could eat your arm.”

The man didn’t look offended, in fact he snorted and tried to suppress more laughter, his body shaking with it. Tony clearly wasn’t taken serious here.  
With fake annoyance Tony gaped at him and punched his shoulder, not hard but enough to prove a point.

“I LICKED it to see if it was tasty.”

Clearly that wasn’t the right thing to say, laughter bubbling out of Bucky who finally laughed out loud, happy and carefree. He looked so beautiful Tony could cry. In fact it took his breath away how gorgeous Bucky was.

“So, you don’t question the whole thing?” Tony asked shy, not wanting to destroy things, but also not wanting to get his heart broken later. He sighed in relief when Bucky shook his head and kissed his nose.

“I’ve dreamed of you. It just feels right, the only thing that has in a long, long time. Also who are we to deny fate?”

Tony only smiled and leaned closer that their foreheads touched.

“No questions and sure as hell no denying something beautiful like that.” No questions would be better. Tony didn’t want his brain to ruin this, not when his heart felt that content. He smiled happily and closed his eyes, the whole ordeal had made him so tired. Also he may or may not have taken a liking to naps, he had had them in the ocean a lot.

“Good thing, first a nap, then we can talk, wake me if you need something.”

Bucky whispered and moved a bit so that he could drag Tony to his chest, bury his nose in Tony’s hair. Tony laughed quietly when he thought about the poor sheets, salty and a bit wet from the water, but he couldn’t care less right now. He didn’t want to point it out and send Bucky out of the bed to change the sheets which the man would probably do.  
His own arm sneaked around Bucky, hand on his back where he could feel the man’s muscles. Tony hadn’t thought his obvious soulmate - that’s what a true love was, wasn’t it?- could be a man, nor someone that beautiful. Someone that caring and soft and so intriguing.

“There is just one thing you need to know.”

Tony gnawed on his lower lip, looking away shy and scared. Bucky gripped him a bit tighter, not letting go. Tony would probably cry if what he wanted to tell him frightened Bucky away. He knew he had a reputation, mostly untrue, but a lot of people believed the press. And if it wasn’t for that, Bucky could shy away from him because of his money. The wealth or the press breathing down their neck the whole time.

“My name is not just Tony. I’m Antony Stark and I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of me?”

There was a short silence. Tony almost feared Bucky would kick him out of the bed but instead he got a little kiss on top of his hair.

“Well mine’s not only Bucky. James Buchanan Barnes, former soldier and now happy owner of a Stark Industries prosthesis and maybe soulmate to one of the most beautiful men in history. I hope you don’t mind that I’m neither famous nor rich, but I know a few things about you and I don’t think you care about any of that.”

Tony snorted and shook his head. That was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous, shouldn’t the man bolt or be scared, or afraid, or anything else?

“Honestly I don’t care. I can hear you thinking, and it’s possibly not nice there in your head right now. I admired your work and if I’m honest I am happy that you’re still alive. We watched the news and they said you could be dead.”

Warm arms around his body tightened more, squeezed him and Tony could feel tears building up behind his eyes.

“I fear that you won’t like me being just a soldier and not someone fancy, but you’re with me and you’re lying in my arms. It scares me that I couldn’t be enough, but somehow the thoughts drain away when I smell your hair, hold you in my arms and feel your warmth. Whatever is happening I’ll just roll with it. I’ve feared so much in my life. It just feels so clear right now, feels right. As if all our worries are nothing, we could just love each other and be. I can’t even be scared. Which is scary in itself. I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m happy.”

Tony frowned and nodded, whatever was going on, whatever happened to him, it felt the same. He didn’t like what was happening, well he did a lot, but it was just too good to be true.  
Tony could only hope that it wouldn’t be destroyed by something. That it would stay, not like his fins. In fact it felt as easy as living in the ocean. A thing he would really miss, the beginning already a fading memory, distant dream.

“Enjoy as long as it lasts?”

“Enjoy as long as it lasts, yes.”

Tony smiled and after some more cuddling fell asleep, for the first time in months in his human form, slept peacefully and got the rest he needed. It seemed the same was happening to Bucky who curled around him, dragging Tony close in his arms to keep him warm and safe. They didn’t wake when Steve sneaked into the room, bringing some bottles of water and some bread. They didn’t wake when Steve smiled down at them and dragged the blanket a bit higher, tucked them both in. Not questioning either, just happy that finally there was a smile on his friends face in his sleep. It had been too long, and he had prayed for a miracle. Maybe his wish had been granted.

*******************

They woke again in the evening, both slowly leaving the dreamworld and blinking at each other in their sleepy state. Tony’s eyes were a darker brown still laden with sleep but looking at him lovingly while stroking his hip. He searched his mind for some fear, for something else than just joy and happiness but no. Nothing. There was warmth in his heart, warmth in his body. So right and good that he wanted to cry, wanted to laugh and kiss Tony, his Tony. Not a Stark, his merman Tony.

“Good morning, doll.”

“Hm… Like to wake up like this.”

“Me too.”

He whispered the words against Tony’s mouth before slowly kissing him. The kiss was tender and sweet, their hands searching the other ones body careful. It felt good to touch someone, to finally allow another person in his bed. Bucky hadn’t slept with anyone since the accident, hadn’t even flirted. There should be fear and anxiety but nothing like that flared up in his body. Nothing negative, just joy and pure happiness. Tony laughed quietly into the kiss, rubbing their noses together and looked at him with so much mischief in his eyes that it made Bucky's heart roar.

“I know we don’t know each other but-please?”

Tony looked at him in surprise. Bucky could feel his cheeks blush, it was so long ago he had opened himself to another person. He really wanted, but at the same time it horrified him that he had asked Tony if they could perhaps go a bit further. Not that the words had left his mouth, Tony just seemed to know what he wanted to ask. Wanted to do.  
There was a shy nod, Tony gnawed on his lower lip only for Bucky to kiss it better.

“Yes. Please. Just no… You know.”

Tony blushed himself, both laughing about how ridiculous it was. Bucky was sure Tony had much more experience, with how good the man looked. He also knew that Tony had a history with parties and flings but Bucky didn’t care. The press could talk all they wanted. Tony was his and he would give him the world to make him smile.

“No, taking it slow my little merman, I just want to touch you and show how much I cherish you.” Bucky kissed Tony’s nose, kissed his lips again, down to his chin. With a quiet growl he nipped Tony’s throat, licking and kissing him there, a short suck, the need to mark him suddenly urgent. “Mine.”

Tony squirmed underneath him, not in a bad way, his fingers searching Bucky’s back, digging his fingertips into the flesh when he felt the hickey forming. Bucky grinned wickedly, sucking a bit harder.

“Payback, you tried to eat me first.”

Tony giggled and growled at him, getting a kiss as apology. Bucky smiled into the kiss, lying on top of Tony and trying not to crush him with his weight but the man only laughed and purred into the kiss.

“I love how warm you are. Love your smile and your kisses. Love to kiss you. Love to love you if that makes sense.”

Bucky hummed and smiled, nipped at Tony’s lips and kissed him some more. He liked it too, to kiss Tony. To slowly touch his body, stroking his arms and chest, explore his sides with soft fingertips. Tony breathed out a quiet laugh and tried not to giggle, also not to rub his hip against Bucky. Somehow cute to look at him squirming and trying not to be too needy.  
Bucky could feel his hard member against his belly, would only need to move down a bit more that they would be touching, which he did because he wanted to feel Tony, wanted to let him feel good.

Bucky was gifted with a soft whine, Tony shut his eyes and only watched him through almost closed lashes. It was criminal, he shouldn’t be allowed to look this sexy in the morning. Even with his hair sticking out into every possible and impossible direction. It shouldn’t turn him on like that.

To gain a bit of his self composure back he kissed Tony, moving their lips against each other, exploring Tony careful and deep. They were both panting when they parted, only for a brief second, only a small distance until they found each other again, this time with their hips moving, not stilling anymore. There was nothing rushed in it, just kissing and friction. Soft moans and sweet keens, panting into each others mouth.  
It felt like it took forever and at the same time it was over much too fast, both of them spilling between their bellies, foreheads pressed together while they stared into each others eyes, gasping names and sweet nothings that were everything. 

For a second they just laid there, watching the other one, tired and pleased, while they waited for something. No explosions, no other curse, nothing happened.  
There was a knock on his door, startling them both and Bucky tried to cover them as much as he could with the blanket, still lying on top of Tony.

“Food is finished, no work for you today Bucky and seriously. The walls are thin. Very thin.”

Tony blushed and started to laugh, infecting Bucky with it who threw a pillow against the door.

“Then put your headphones on and listen to some music!”

He could hear Steve’s laughter through the door, while looking at Tony, only to scrunch his nose.

“I think we should both shower. We reek and you are still very salty, not that I mind but….”

“And didn’t you help with that.” Tony wriggled his eyebrows, indicating that their spilled seed was salty too, causing Bucky to groan. Of course he needed to chose a true love that made bad jokes. Not that he complained. Tony was perfect as he was. He didn’t know everything but he wouldn’t want him to change ever.

“Bucky? Do you love the ocean?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

There was something to the question, something he couldn’t quite grasps but he was curious what Tony wanted to ask him. The man stopped and shook his head, smiling again and kissing him on the corner of his own smile.

“Nothing, for now. Let’s shower. Thank you for everything.”

Bucky frowned, that sounded very much like Tony wanted to run as fast as he could so he grabbed him by the wrist when he tried to get out of bed to shower and tugged carefully. Tony didn’t fight just let himself be dragged back to Bucky who laid both of his hands on either side of Tony’s face.

“We’re together in this until it lasts, you promised. Tell me what’s wrong.”

There were a myriad of emotions rushing through those amber eyes, fear, sadness, despair, a flicker of hope and longing. They stilled with the longing.

“I don’t want to be human.”

A blush crept onto his cheeks and he tried to explain, words tumbling over words as if Bucky would understand better if he rushed things and pressed them out all at once.

“I want to be a merman, I want to stay in the ocean, it’s wonderful. It’s easy. We could be free. It’s- you love the ocean too, don’t you? We could be together, could do everything we ever wanted.”

He sounded desperate, a bit shameful to admit. Bucky sighed and shut him up with a kiss.

“I don’t have much here and we could visit Steve and he could visit us at the beach. If that’s what it takes to make you happy? I don’t know what to do with myself, I have nothing to offer. Like this we could start anew, both of us?”

A weird thought.  
Bucky meant what he said. The longing, the void inside of him. He didn’t know where he belonged anymore, he didn’t know what to do with his life.  
Living in the ocean sounded nice and easy. It made Tony’s eyes shine so it could only be good, couldn’t it?  
Amber eyes widened and Bucky laughed when he saw that Tony’s mouth stood open.

“Hey, is it so strange to believe that I am happy wherever we are as long as we are together? I mean- we need to become that first, if there is a way. How did you end up as a mermaid either way?”

“I- dumped a woman and perhaps she was a witch and cursed me?”

Bucky blinked. A witch. Of course. Had someone told him a week before that he would fall in the ocean, be rescued by a merman, fall in love, break a curse through a kiss and then would try to find a witch to become a merman himself, well he would have laughed. Left them with their belief and would have gone on with his life because seriously that would be just nuts.  
Right now it made all sense and that was something that should scare him but it didn’t. Weird.

“We need to see Pepper and tell her that I am alive and I’m good and we need to make her CEO. Unofficially she already is but I want it on paper, legalized.”

“And I need to talk with Steve, I don’t think he will be happy about everything. But I am. I am happy with you.”

Turned out Steve was a problem, he didn’t think them both running to the ocean would be a good idea, he begged them to think this through. There was a lot of yelling involved and at one point Bucky really thought Tony and Steve would fight and he would need to get in between. It ended with Steve growling at both of them, sitting on a chair and grumbling something about dickheads and never learn, but in the end he agreed.

“If it makes you happy… But I want to come with you to this Pepper person and see that you arrive everywhere safe.”

Bucky snorted and accepted, he knew that Steve would try to get Pepper on his side to reason against both of them. Tony thought the same thing, grabbing his hand a bit tighter, but let the topic go. No need to fight when they have already made up their minds. They would become mermen, would be happy. Bucky knew Steve would never deny it for him, felt a sudden pang of sadness for leaving his best friend all alone when Steve had followed him everywhere.

“You could come with us.”

“Hell no. I would beg for a kraken to eat me so I wouldn’t need look at you both exploring each other’s tonsils.”

Bucky grinned, Steve sounded offended but he wasn’t. He could see the gleam in his friends eyes, the way he nodded towards them. It was fond, caring. Steve was happy that Bucky was finally finding happiness himself.  
Until now Bucky hadn’t even thought a lot about his friend, consumed by his own worries, fears and grief. Steve had done so much for him, had been there the whole time. He had left everything to be with Bucky, to help him. He couldn’t demand that Steve would do that again. Bucky also couldn’t leave him alone, he didn’t want Steve to feel abandoned.

“You will visit us at the shore?”

“Of course, but only if you bring me hidden treasures.”

“That way you can stay at home and just paint. That would be a great idea! We could roam the seas, there must be thousands of ships undiscovered! God Tony! We wouldn’t need to worry about a thing!”

“Eh.” Tony looked at him flabbergasted. For a second Bucky didn’t know why but then it occurred to him the moment Tony opened his mouth to talk. Sometimes his brain was a bit behind but Tony didn’t seem to mind it. “You do know that I’m rich and you can have a room and an studio too? You don’t have to stay here. I have a big house and the lighting will be much better than here, we could set up an art studio before we go? I will talk to Pepper and yes, that would be actually a great idea. Come on. Chop chop, no time to lose.”

Bucky giggled at Steve’s desperate gaze and just shrugged. “Lord has spoken, peasants should follow now.”

He avoided the punch Tony threw at him and laughed out loud at the exclamation that he would be a king if they were his peasants. King was a nice ringing with all the gold and red he had in his tail. Indeed, Tony would make a splendid king. With a fond smile he grabbed for his king’s hand, brushed their finger against each other and smiled with glee when Tony reached out for him too, entwining their fingers so they could feel each other. Bucky didn’t know why he deserved such happiness but he sure as hell wouldn’t give it away. Not for anything in the world. Bucky would follow Tony wherever he may go, even to the end of the world.

*******************

Bucky wanted to come with him.  
Bucky would chose a life in the ocean to be with Tony.  
This was too much, too good. Tony wanted to cry. He feared for the moment this all would end. He felt like living in a dream, but seemed to struggle a bit more with the whole thing than Bucky.  
The struggle was real but it wasn’t as hard as it would have been normally.  
Whenever he thought of something horrible that could happen and part them there were thoughts of light and love, happiness covering them up, like he couldn’t even think about something bad ruining everything. Not that he couldn’t think of something bad, there was enough to worry and he could still do that, so it wasn’t that his mind was clouded or anything like that. It was a thought that just came to him now.  
It felt strange but nice. Not to worry about everything.

Tony smiled more than he had done the last few months, possibly years. He would miss his workshop, his bots, his work all along, but being free- Tony sighed, he knew he wouldn’t get both. It wasn’t possible and he feared a bit that he would forget about everything again when he touched the water. It had felt nice to just be, but he missed his memories and his mind. Also he may fear a bit that Bucky would leave him and just go to the other mermen or mermaids to find something better than him.  
A quiet voice in his head reminded him that they were meant for each other and, as if Bucky had heard his doubts, he turned and kissed his forehead, dragging him close to tell him how happy he was. Yeah. Tony was happy too. He wouldn’t let his brain destroy this one.

Steve had a little car, Tony didn’t even know how they all fit in there, with Bucky and Steve build like hulks, but somehow they managed.  
The ride to Tony’s estate wasn’t that long and Tony smiled when JARVIS let them in, desperate and glad about it. He had missed his AI. He had missed his home, missed the stoic british voice that greeted him and his guests, glad that he was alive.

“I am glad to be back too, J. A lot has happened, could you please inform Mrs. Potts that I am here again?”

He grinned wicked at the awed gazes they got from Bucky and Steve, bowed mockingly and opened his arms.

“Mi casa e su casa. Welcome in my humble home. That was JARVIS, my AI. He’s everywhere and I can’t live without him. Bucky if you wanna marry me you need to marry him too.”

“If that was a proposal it was a very bad one, I want you at least down on your knees.”

“I can think of a lot of things to do down on my knees.”

“Could you please stop that? My eyes and ears are way too innocent.”

Bucky and Tony grinned at each other and started to laugh only to get a desperate huff out of Steve. The blond started to look around. Tony could hear him roaming, walking careful and not touching anything even if it was clear that he wanted. Tony only had eyes for Bucky, whom he grabbed by the front of his shirt to drag him down for a kiss. It was nice and sweet and they weren’t interrupted by Steve who was talking quietly to Jarvis who explained some of the paintings, were talking with Steve about artists and times and whatever one could talk about that. Pepper would like him, she was an art fan like Steve even when she didn’t art herself. 

They forgot about their surroundings until they heard a bang, then a groan followed by a loud crash. An apologizing “Oh god, are you okay?” from a woman Tony craved to see and embrace. With a confused blink at each other they stumbled apart and rushed to the source of the noise, seeing Steve sprawled on the floor, clutching his nose. The door was wide open and Pepper kneeled beside Steve, touched him carefully.

“I told you automatic doors that slide to the side are much better.”

It was the first thought that came to his mind when his brain figured out what must have happened. Poor Steve, when Pepper had thrown open the door like she usually did when she was angry or excited than he could be glad that his head was still on his shoulders.

“Tony!”

She yelled, forgotten was the man on the ground, forgotten everything else she just jumped up and hugged him. Tony could feel himself melt into the embrace, slinging his arms around her. He buried his nose into his hair and breathed in deep. It smelled like home, like family. With a soft laugh he hugged her a bit closer.

“You’re not dead.” It sounded like hope, wondrous. Then it changed and she grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. Her eyes were gleaming furiously and she might have slapped him if she would have been a woman doing that.

“You’re not dead! Where were you? What were you thinking? God. You haven’t thought at all! Tony! Did you even think about what I felt when I saw the news?! You could have called me, could have-” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again, raging fury vibrating in her every cell.

“If you dare to do that one more time I will find you and kill you myself.”

Wow. Someone had missed him. Tony broke into a shit eating grin. God he had missed her so much.

“I dik ib a bid id lobe?”

Steve whispered to Bucky, loud enough for them all to hear. Pepper blushed and forgot a second about Tony, rushing back to the poor blonde that looked at her with a crooked smile, one hand pressed on his bleeding nose.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Tony grinned at the smitten look on Steve, not the least covering that he had the hots for Pepper. In fact they would make a cute pair, now that Tony thought about it. They both liked art and were commanding. They both wanted their friends to be happy and functional. They both would save a merman trying to get to their true love. They were very stoic and patient. The perfect pairing.. Pepper blushed at Steve who looked at her like she had hung the sun and moon. Tony had never seen Pepper blush, wanted to point that out, but Bucky just shook his head and grabbed him around the hip.

“Let’s move to the living room, we all need to talk. You must be Pepper Potts, I’ve heard a lot about you. My name is Bucky, well James Buchanan Barnes but my friends call me Bucky.”

“‘M Steebe.”

“He’s Steve, yes.”

“I am glad to meet you. Both of you, I’m sorry about the circumstances but I am really glad. You brought this menace back to me and I’m very happy about it. I am just sad that you were dragged into whatever he had gotten himself to now.”

“She loves me.”

Tony nodded and tried to look serious but Steve only looked at Pepper and they exchanged a desperate look. Nice how they bonded against them now, somehow it felt like they would be good together. It was just more proof. Somehow he knew that Pepper would team up with Steve and that they both would tell them that they had the worst ideas and wouldn’t allow them.

The four finally managed to get into the living room, Steve with a bowl on his knees, a wet, cold cloth pressed to his neck. The nose didn’t seem to be broken, just a bit damaged. A bit of a nosebleed wouldn’t kill him. Hopefully. It would only help as a distraction if they fell in love and would leave Tony and Bucky in peace.

“So. You tell me you were cursed and turned into a merman. Then you killed some fish you need to research, but their friends weren’t angry at you for eating some of their family. Then you crawled over a street to be brought into a bathtub, where a kiss of true love broke your curse, and now you are here because you two want to run away to be free in the ocean again?”

“... yeah?”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“But Pepper!”

That went better than he had thought, with her only desperate and rolling her eyes at him and not yelling or being mean. Not that she would be mean to him. Tony knew she only wanted to help and most of the times she was right, but not this time. This time he needed to follow his gut, his nose, his dreams. He also was happy that she wasn't talking about him being drunk or something. She knew he was sober and all three of them nodded when she mentioned the merman. He really had been a merman.

“I- I took a photo.” Steve murmured blushing and wriggled a bit to get to his phone, showing Pepper the picture. Her eyes widened comically and Tony wasn’t even angry that the man had taken a picture. He would have done that too.

“Gosh, he looks so cute.”

“Doesn’t he? I first couldn’t believe it either, but I wanted to draw him. I didn’t want to wake you to ask if it’s okay and then I forgot about it, sorry I should have asked.”

The blush crept over Steve’s face and his neck, all the while Bucky frowned at him and started to growl, actually growl at his best friend. It was kinda cute and Tony kissed him with joy, leaned his head on Bucky’s shoulder.

“That’s okay, but only if Bucky and me get that picture too. Also we don’t ask for permission for that matter. We’re adults and can do whatever we want. I am leaving you as CEO, you ARE already CEO, now you can earn the fruits of your work too. You can still visit us and maybe we could rebuild the house a bit with an indoor pool, so that way we could visit too!”

That sounded actually like a great idea. Tony already had some ideas in mind, it would be great! They could even install a television into the room or build huge glass tunnels in the whole house so they could swim from room to room like they pleased. This all would be awesome!

“The fact alone that you need to point out that you are an adult prove that you aren’t. No Tony. It’s my time to talk. I know that you both seem to be in love and seriously, I am not at all surprised that you find true love through a curse. You’re not one to do things the easy way. You are also not one to let yourself be told no so I will tell you something. You can go, both of you. But if you don’t return and check up on us I will be really angry and I dare you to do it. I will find the biggest fishbowl and put you both into it just to be sure that you are safe.”

Tony stared at her and smiled so wide he was sure his head would fall off if there weren’t ears to stop the grin.

“BUT! You are only allowed that after you have spent a year together with him.”

“WHAT? But Pepper!”

“Ow…. God…. tink it bwoken.”

Steve was whining suddenly and held his nose a bit rougher, tears forming in his eyes. How he still could look manly as he did, Tony didn’t know.  
Tony frowned a bit about the interruption, but Pepper rushed to Steve’s side in a hurry, supporting him. Carefully she helped him to stand up. Steve swayed a bit more than Tony deemed to be necessary, his eyes locking with Bucky in a silent conversation. Pepper helped Steve to stand straight, supporting his chest and his back.

“I will bring him to the ER. You will stay put and sit there. Show Bucky your workshop. Be nice.”

She shot him a glare before her face softened again, and went to bring Steve to the hospital, the man clearly was whining a bit more than necessary. Huh.

“Come on. We don’t have much time.” Bucky grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the bathroom only to curse. “We need to find your witch, Steve will hold her up, but I don’t know how long he can fool her.”

Tony blinked in surprise, not really knowing what Bucky wanted to tell him, especially not when they stood in front of the now opened bathroom door. His brain still occupied with the thought that Steve suddenly was on their side, teaming up against Pepper. That wouldn’t get him some honey points if he tried to woo her.

“That’s still nice from him even if I think it won’t help himself.. And what are we doing in the bathroom now? Oh. Wait! I know you wanna summon her with the mirror? There is a bigger one in the bedroom.”

Bucky stared at him for a moment, opened his mouth as if to ask something, but then shook his head.

“Tony, I don’t know any spells.”

“Then why are we in front of the bathroom?”

“Mostly because I don’t know where the exit is.”

Well. That made sense. In fact more sense than his friend? Boyfriend? Prince charming? Being a sorcerer.

“If I may help, Sirs? Ms. MJ has left a message in case you returned. I wasn’t able to contact Mrs Potts in that matter but I have saved the energy flow of this foreign science to the server.”

His AI sounded offended and pissed at the same time. Tony was very proud of his son. Of course he could sound both at the same time. JARVIS waited for Tony’s nod and suddenly the floor was filled with a female voice he wouldn’t forget in his whole lifetime.

“Mr Stark, I may owe you an apology. I am very glad you managed to break the curse.” Tony frowned because she really didn’t sound like she thought he would be able to break it. She also didn’t sound as if she really meant him ill. “-as I wasn’t able to lift it. We both did wrong, but I did something unforgivable. Please if you return, meet me at the following address. I am really terribly sorry.”

Tony sighed when he heard her talk, he knew she had meant the curse, she had been so angry, but now she seemed close to tears. Or she was a real good actor. Tony could feel her in that she was a young woman and he really had tried to flirt with her, not that he would have done anything with the poor girl. She was way to young for them. Tony couldn’t help but like her. Tony looked over to Bucky who looked a bit concerned.

“It’s okay. She is nice.”

“I would say until you anger her and she throws curses at you. But somehow it feels like a lost argument so I will let it slide for today.”

Tony grinned wolfish - or would it be more sharkish?- at him and nodded. Fast learner his Buckaroo.

“You’re my favourite nonfish.”

“I don’t even wanna know.”

Bucky’s laughter and head shake felt familiar.Tony would have liked to show him everything in his home, especially his workshop but there was no time. They still needed to go, Pepper would be furious when she learned that she had been led on a merry chase. Hopefully Steve would survive, somehow Tony liked the man.  
They took one of Tony’s cars, a fast and sleek one Bucky had looked a bit longer than at the other cars. Bucky seemed to enjoy the ride a lot too. Maybe they really should wait with the curse.  
Tony liked the look of pure glee on his partners face, the gleam in his eyes, his fast breath. Tony joined the joyful laughter, joined the way Bucky fell into the carefree atmosphere and maybe he took the long way with lots of curves and streets where he could speed a bit more. Hearing Bucky's laugh Tony knew it was worth the detour. 

*******************

Bucky had always loved cars. Fast and beautiful, a force built by humans. A joy to look at, a joy to ride. Neither he nor Steve had managed to afford buying one and now here he was. Standing in Tony’s garage, filled to the brim with the fastest, most expensive cars one could imagine. They were all gorgeous, like the man he had fallen in love with.  
Bucky felt nauseous.  
Couldn’t even imagine living like that. Surrounded by everything one could imagine without having to worry if they were going to be able to pay for the latest rent. Still Tony would chose the life in the ocean without any of this and wasn’t that saying enough? Bucky trusted him.

A careful look thrown Tony’s way he tried to not show his worry, not let Tony feel that he worried for him, that he wanted to know why he would flee like that. In fact he didn’t know anything about Tony. It would be nice to start anew without any prejudice, but he also wanted to know everything about Tony.

Bucky just hoped they wouldn’t lose their memories both when they turned, a possible side effect maybe? He feared that Tony would forget about him or that maybe it was all a cruel joke of fate and would turn out to be a wishful dream. Then again, maybe he had died and this was heaven? It surely felt like heaven. They reached a cozy cottage by the sea, a little forest stretching behind it. It looked idyllic, Bucky would have liked living there.

“Here we are.”

Tony smiled at him when he stopped the engine, but there was something in his eyes that didn’t felt right. Something that looked like fear. Bucky didn’t like it.

“You’re not alone. We’re in this together.”

Bucky squeezed Tony’s hand then took his face into his to soothe him with a tender kiss..  
“I love you.”

Bucky felt warmth in his body, a fierce feeling of pure joy while he watched Tony’s eyes first widen then soften again.

“I can’t believe you’re real. That *this* all is real.”

Bucky laughed and nodded, kissed Tony again.

“That’s exactly what I thought only moments ago. I fear any moment I will wake and won’t have you by my side.”

A knock at the window startled them and caused Tony to swipe his head to the side. Bucky heard a hard thud, then Tony’s groan. He winced when he imagined how much it would hurt. His poor beloved.

“No dream. God. Ouch. No dream I promise.”

It wasn’t very nice but Bucky started to laugh even as he tried to suppress it, which ended in him making some very chocked giggling noises. Tony turned with a scandalized look on his face, poked him in the side and tried to force him to stop.

“Just you know I won’t share my algaes with you. You’re mean! You’re a big meanie nonfish.”

Bucky only shook his head, not answering at all. It seemed to be the better option.  
They left the car, Bucky looking curiously over to where the witch stood. Well. She was kinda cute and so, so young. He had imagined her older and not a young woman barely being legal. Her hair looked as if she’d fallen right out of bed, but there were twigs and flower petals in it indicating that she either had slept in her garden hanging in a tree or had been working for a while. Her long colorful dress was brown and black from earth and who knew what.

“You’re back! Oh thank the goddess. I prayed for your wellbeing. I had a stone set up to be sure that you wouldn’t be harmed, but that’s the only thing I was able to do in the long run. I’m so sorry I was so angry when you were nice to me, and when I turned you flirted with that girl and I just lost it. I was devastated. Also I’m a young witch I can’t control my emotions that well, still learning. I even called my mom to get some help.”

The young woman rolled her eyes, looked up into the sky and sighed deeply. “But it was fruitless. It was just Uhhhh Mj, I knew you would screw up. You’re such a failure yada yadda. Have you heard at all what I tried to teach you. Whatever. You are here. Nice. And hello over there, handsome. Is that you’re- yes he is. God he’s gorgeous. What a beautiful man. Lucky you. I-”

She was stopped by Tony’s hand over her mouth, the still running sentence now muffled.

“Holy cow, you talk more than I do.”

Somehow Bucky doubted that. Tony didn’t seem to stop babbling at all. Bucky’s raised eyebrow was met with an innocent smile and Tony let go of her mouth. He raised on finger and wriggled it in front of her face.

“Ah ah ah. Not so much talking. Be nice. Now we’re here because we want you to curse us again.”

“- what?”

Bucky suppressed a snort. Her eyes were wide and brows furrowed, searching Bucky’s face for a confirmation he gave with a small smile and a nod.

“Please, what?”

“You heard it right. We both want to be turned. In fact I miss the sea and the freedom and my friends. It is possible, isn’t it? Perhaps without losing my memories this time and the whole searching for another cutie because I will never leave this one.” 

Bucky smiled and stood a little bit closer, his hand entwining with Tony’s to prove that they were in it together without any doubts or questions. Maybe some questions, he didn’t want to lose Tony and forget everything he once knew and it wouldn’t help if they would turn back to humans everytime they kissed.

“I don’t have much to lose here, we can still meet our friends at the beach and everything else will be for the better.”

Not that there weren’t any doubts. He wasn’t that confident in it. Bucky had seen Tony’s lingering look on his home and he knew it wasn’t as easy as that. He would follow him even so, they would figure it out.

“That’s not possible. I can’t turn you into full merman. You need to be born like that.”

She stared at them, crossing her arms defensely. Bucky could feel his heart breaking a bit when he watched Tony’s face crumple, the shine of joy slowly turning into sadness. He squeezed Tony’s hand a bit harder, glad that Tony squeezed right back, leaning into his side.

“You can’t turn us into full merman but you *can* turn us?”

Bucky asked. Being merman for half the time would be nice too, therefore they could do things on land too? That would be great. He could feel Tony shifting beside him.

“I don’t want to lose that.” Tony whispered and he looked so lost and sad that Bucky untangled their hands to draw him close into a hug.  
The witch stared at them for a moment before she threw her hands in the air.

“Okay. I think I owe you one, but don’t come crying to me that I didn’t warn you.”

“Warn us?”

“Uh. Yes. It’s not that easy to turn someone and you can’t choose one side to live, you will need to live in water and on land in equal parts. You need to find a balance without endangering the other merpeople in the water. They already know about humans so you won’t need to hide that side. Well it would be better to not tell them what you both are, most of them hate humans.”

She sighed but turned into her home, gesturing them to come into.  
Tony wanted to follow, but was held up by Bucky who turned him in his embrace, looking him deep into those amazing amber eyes.

“I love you, whatever we do. I won’t leave you and we can do this together, you are not alone. Not anymore.”

It took a few moments, but then the smile formed again on Tony’s face, shy and vulnerable and so open that Bucky wanted to kiss all the sorrows away an destroy everything that could hurt his friend.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me Bucky, you know that? I can’t believe this is real. I- Don’t laugh at me but I am glad we won’t be bound to the water the whole time, I want to show you everything and I dunno if that's possible when we have tails.”

“We will figure it out. Right now I don’t feel like anything would be able to stop us. Perhaps it won’t be that easy, but that’s why we are not alone anymore, we don’t need to take it on our own. Plus we have some amazing friends that may or may not make sushi out of us.”

Bucky grinned when he got a laugh out of Tony with that but seriously was a bit terrified of what Pepper could do with him. He might have met her just once, but she was something else. He wouldn’t mind becoming sushi if he ever hurt Tony. It was good his beloved had friends as caring as that.

*******************

Tony didn’t know why he deserved that. Why he deserved such a caring and lovely person like Bucky.  
His whole life seemed to be a huge failure and every time something good happened it was destroyed. When he heard that they wouldn’t be able to become mermen for real and forever he was not only sad, he felt like something was taken from him again.  
The possibility that he could have both water and land, that and Bucky. It was too good to be true.

Bucky didn’t read the situation right, not knowing that it was too much, too good to be true. He didn’t know that everything Tony loved was taken from him. Tony would love to spare Bucky from that part of his life. Tony wanted to believe him that everything would turn out right and he felt like he could when they looked deep into each other's eyes.

“Are you two coming or not? I need you for the ritual.”

Tony smiled at Bucky and melted into the embrace inhaling his beloved before he let go.

“Come on, I can’t believe we’re going to do this. I can’t believe you will follow me there. I just hope I will remember everything this time.”

“If not we need to remember each other, maybe implant a gps in your arse that Pepper and Steve can find us.”

Tony stopped in his tracks to gape at Bucky.

“I hope you’re kidding. There’s not a lot that gets in this ass of mine and if you want to take part in that you will stay away with any form of tracking device. And just you know when Pepper finds us we will be dead. Not if she finds us, when she finds us. There’s no escape from an angry woman.”

“I hope she’s not another witch then.” MJ interrupted them and grabbed Bucky’s hand to drag them both inside. Tony suppressed a giggle when he followed her into something out of a story book. It really looked like a witches house with all the flowers and bottles and things he couldn’t even name.

“She’s not a witch, she’s my secretary and a very good friend of mine.”

The look he got wasn’t that convinced but who was he kidding. Tony was pretty sure that Pepper was a witch or an angel or the devil, he wasn’t quite sure. Maybe a bit of everything. 

“I don’t think she’s one hundred percent human.” Bucky stated and nodded serious. “There’s this look in her eyes like she can see into your very soul. She’s scary and I like her.”

Tony snorted and shook his head. He liked Pepper a lot too. It had been a huge pain in his chest when he had figured out they weren’t meant for each other, but at least their friendship remained and she hadn’t abandoned him. It had meant a lot to him, if not everything. She had been his anchor, his friend. She was the only one besides Rhodey that had stayed, and now he was here with Bucky and he wanted them to like each other so desperately he could beg. Seems as if he didn’t need to do that.

Squeezing Bucky’s hand again they followed the friendly witch into the kitchen where they sat around the table.

“Uhm… no room?”

“Hm?”

“No circle and candles and lightning?”

Tony stared right back when MJ looked at him as if he was the one that was nuts.

“We’re not in a movie. Magic is everywhere and it don’t need to come with thunder and lightning, well some of them do but mostly not. I could do some party tricks, but only if you need them?”

Bucky interrupted Tony’s answer with a head shake and a gesture that she should go on.

Better, Tony really wanted to discuss with the witch, but he also wanted to turn into a merman and see what Bucky would look like. Wanted to show him the pretty statues and his beloved place with the best algaes. He wanted to show him his silvery fish friends he still hasn’t googled what to call. He wanted Bucky to feel the water, like thousand comforting and loving hands on his body. The rush when he put on speed with his fins.  
Hey perhaps they would find some other merpeople and he could talk with them finally! Well they wouldn’t be that happy that two nonfishes - humans, he really should think about them as humans again - were turned and could stroll the land. They would fear them, wouldn’t they?

“-ony?”

“Hm?”

Startled he looked up right into two worried faces. Tony sighed and rubbed his face with his hand.

“Sorry, I was thinking about the ocean. They won’t like us the other merpeople when we are half human. I hope they will get used to us.”

“Huh? Oh no, don’t you fear. There are a lot of half humans around. Not only in the ocean. Worlds bigger than you know, but I won’t give you all the secrets right now. There are things you need to discover yourself. Others are better left untouched and if one doesn’t know about them one won’t find them. But I could give you some books, send them to your mansion. You just need to make sure no human finds them that means harm. No science. No experiments.”

“But I can do experiments on myself?”

“NO!”

Tony pouted when both of them denied something he really wanted.

“But… science.”

“No science.”

Not even Bucky was on board with it, MJ only rolling her eyes while Bucky looked at him in concern. Okay, no science then, just enjoy, vacation in the ocean. Somehow he figured that Pepper wouldn’t let him have his ocean without signing some things. Pepper would be furious, perhaps they should vanish for a few days and then she would be- nope. Bad idea.

“Okay, no science and no vanishing on Pepper, got it. Look at me being a responsible adult.”

Somehow neither of them seemed to be convinced. Rude.

Rolling her eyes MJ started to cook something on an old fashioned stove that made Tony’s eyes twitch.

“I could buy you a real stove, special STARK-tech, everything you want?”

“This stove is good.”

“It has open fire and you could burn your pretty house down.”

“This stove is good.”

“I can smell the gas over here, it isn’t safe. You could die in your sleep. I could-”

MJ turned with a huge sigh, her hands in her hips, staring him down, shutting him up. Someone had taken lessons from Pepper as it seemed. Perhaps it was a witches thing.

“No stove. Go on.” He gestured with his hands almost hitting Bucky in the face, who only laughed, threw his prosthesis around Tony’s shoulders and dragged him closer.

“Let’s cuddle before you stink of fish.”

Tony gasped.

“That’s how it is?”

“That’s how it is.”

Bucky’s smirk was smug and he couldn’t help himself, kissing the corner of the smile.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

The words were whispered and warmed his heart, looking into soft loving eyes he knew felt the same as Tony.

“So, not wanting to disturb you, but do you know your species?”

“What?”

“Do you know what kind of fish you were?” MJ asked patient, looking almost fond at Bucky who only shrugged.

“I dunno, he had very nice fins and he looked beautiful.”

Mj sighed and shook her head. “Not at all helping.”

Tony shrugged his shoulders too. He really didn’t know. Then he remembered that Steve had taken a picture.

“Hey, you could show her the picture Steve took.”

“You took pictures?!”

“You can’t blame us for being curious, also he looked very cute and Steve loves to paint! No one would be the wiser with photoshop and everything. No one would believe that Tony Stark is a merman.”

Bucky went instant into protection mode which made MJ only grumble something in her nonexistent beard, but she took the phone without hesitation and didn’t try to delete the picture, knowing what it meant to Bucky.

“Hm. Seems as if you were a fighter, huh? Seen any betta fish before you went into the ocean to swim? Also I thought they were freshwater fish and not saltwater. Whatever, magic isn’t always sane. So. Now we need to make you both into betta. I can do that. How about your friend- how are you called?”

“Bucky. James Buchanan Barnes but my friends call me Bucky. Favourite witches can call me Bucky too.” He winked at her and Tony and MJ snorted at the obvious flirt. Cute. If Tony could fall anymore in love he would do it right now.

“Seems as if you two deserve each other.” Mj’s words were fond and not at all angry. She smiled at them both, at their entwined fingers and the way they had their other arms around each others torso or shoulder. They weren’t even doing it on purpose, just searched the warmth and the love and the scent of the person they loved. If that meant to curl into his beloved, well then he would do it.

Tony yawned and closed his eyes, laid his head on Bucky’s chest to wait for whatever the witch was doing to be finished. Bucky kissed him on the top of his hair.

“We do.” He grinned. “We deserve each other and I’m so happy you cursed him. He was the cutest mermaid I’d ever met.”

“Hey!” Tony frowned and playfully bit down on Bucky’s arm, sadly the prosthesis one and tried to growl as if he wanted to eat Bucky only to get a snort out of him.

“Thought you would quit in trying to eat my arm. Seriously, when I woke up after almost drowning, it was him I saw first. He licked my arm to see if it was tasty. It was more than cute.”

“Traitor.” Tony pouted when they both shared a laugh at his expense.

“Can’t do anything about it. It’s a beautiful arm built by a genius. It was the first thing I saw. God. You’re not my soul bonded! The arm is!”

Bucky sighed and rolled his eyes to heaven before he caught Tony in a kiss and shut up his ridiculous babbling. Tony laughed into the kiss and snuggled right back, sighing content, but grabbed the arm to whisper a quiet *I love you* at it.

Tony smiled at the soft sigh and decided to nap a bit while Bucky talked with MJ, his eyes already closed and soon the words faded into a soft hum.  
It was some time later, the sun was already down, that Tony woke from soft kisses to his forehead.

“Hm?” He smacked his lips together, wanting to murmur something about five minutes more but got distracted by teeth biting softly into his nose. “Wah?”

With a frown he opened his eyes and tried to glare at his beloved only to find him grinning back.

“That was for declaring your love to my arm even while sleeping.” Bucky had mirth twinkling in his eyes so Tony couldn’t be sure that he was telling the truth. A confused glance to MJ didn’t confirm anything so he just pouted again and hid his face in Bucky’s arm. His true soulmate, not judging, not teasing him.

“MJ is finished with her potion. We can go down to the beach, there is a trail behind her garden to a hidden sandbank. That way she can watch the process and see if everything goes well and can catch us if something goes amiss.”

Tony yawned and just nodded, his brain in sleepy mode, and seriously he would say yes to anything without a proper coffee. God he missed coffee. There needed to be a way to get coffee into the ocean, seriously how were they still alive without the black gold? A mug appeared above his head, the sudden smell of freshly brewed coffee strong in the air and Tony opened his eyes - when had he closed them again?- and stared right at the very ugly but kinda cute self made mug which contained something holy.

“He’s starting to wake up.”

Tony didn’t even twitch at the amused tone of his friend, following the movement of the mug with his eyes, muscles twitching to go and grab it but everytime he tried to make a move the mug was taken further away. Mean.

“I remember him ordering a double espresso. Not just one, but four in half an hour. Didn’t know a human being could survive that much caffeine, but here we are. I’ve made it a normal brew nothing too strong, I don’t know how much he can stand after that long without it.”

Finally his boyfriend had mercy and gave the mug to him, Tony taking it without even blowing on it and downed the first half with a happy moan. Heat and flavour exploding on his tongue, burning his mouth and throat making him purr in pleasure.

“Gosh. Tony!”

Bucky tried to take the mug away from him, but Tony only hissed and dragged it closer. Hugging and trying to drink while pressing it to his chest at the same time.

“That’s weirdly cute.”

Tony took another sip from his coffee, looking at MJ and thinking about why again he fell asleep in a stranger's home. It felt weird that he was trusting her that much, but somehow it felt right too. Then again he would let her curse him and his beloved to become merpeople, who in their right mind would do that? Apparently them both. 

“Do you want to do it now or do you wanna wait until it’s morning again?”

Tony stopped drinking the coffee and shook his head.

“Now.”

He didn’t even wait for Bucky to answer, but the arms around him didn’t shove him away, they hugged him a bit tighter.

“We don’t want to wait.”

“Yeah, neither of us want to wait. I don’t know why. If someone had told me that I would be head over heels with a man I don’t even know, throwing away every fear I’ve had until now- I can’t believe that it is true.”

Tony nodded and took Bucky’s hand in his own, squeezing it carefully. Those were exactly his thoughts. He was kind of afraid it was only magic that gave that to them, that the feelings could just go down in flames. MJ smiled and shook his head carefully.

“Don’t you worry. Magic just got together what was bound to be together. You were meant for each other. Perhaps it would be more difficult without magic showing you the way, but else there is nothing that wouldn’t have bloomed without it. You only got the right push at the right time.”

Tony heard Bucky sigh relieved and started to laugh with him because they were sighing in relief at the same time. They stared at each other and Bucky shook his head with a bright grin.

“I dunno. I wouldn’t have hit on someone that gorgeous. It’s impossible that someone as perfect would look at me.”

“Flatterer, but you’re right. I might have found your workplace and stalked you without even talking to you because have you looked at yourself? There is no one out there looking more beautiful than you.”

“Could we perhaps quit the flirting and go to the shore, I really wanna see if we can make it happen!”

Tony stared at her and squinted. What?

“You don’t even know if it works?”

“Well, it should, but we can’t be sure?” She tried to look serious for another second and broke down into giggles the next moment. “Okay, just kidding. I’m able to turn you, but you need to come now, the moon is right, you two are very lucky.”

Bucky shared a short look with Tony and shrugged, both of them following the young witch to the shore. He didn’t know a lot about magic, but maybe he should have looked into it before. Well. They couldn’t wait now. 

“This might be the dumbest thing I have done in the last twenty years.”

“This might be mine too, except joining the army and leaving my arm. Seriously, if my head wasn’t grown to my body I would have lost that too.”

Tony pressed his lips together because he really didn’t want to laugh, it was a serious matter. Seeing Bucky making jokes about it made it somehow lighter. When he was the one making jokes it was okay, wasn’t it? With a soft sigh he gave Bucky a little kiss onto the prosthesis.

“I wanna make you a new one, can I? Pretty please!”

“You would do it either way.”

Tony grinned toothily at him and nodded. Bucky already knew him well enough.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I already have some designs in my mind.”

They kept bantering a bit more, Mj even making some dry jokes too as they went down the path to the shore. It wasn’t long, but they were getting anxious, nervous about the outcome, about the how and if it would happen. Better not to think about that or they would perhaps turn back. Well Tony wouldn’t want to turn back now that he knew that he could have both, living in the sea and living on the land. It was a dream come true.

When they arrived at the shore MJ handed them each a vial with a golden shimmering substance in it.

“That’s it? But I didn’t need to drink anything the last time.”

“That’s because I cursed you. Now I am trying to change you of your free will and with good intention. Take a step into the ocean, but not too far, then drink it in one go, it should work right away.”

*******************

Bucky sensed the worry in Tony’s mind.  
He cared for Tony. It made him feel lost to sense his beloved in distress. This here was something special, Bucky didn’t know if it would function. He couldn’t. There was still some final doubt in his mind not believing in fairy tales, but he would take the chance to make Tony happy.

Bucky grabbed the vial and nodded in thanks, his steps forward and without doubt. He got rid of his shoes on the way, the cold water splashing over his toes that buried themselves into the cooled sand. There was a faint memory of warmth where the sun had touched the tiny stones but it could be an illusion.  
Bucky turned to smile at Tony, his face soft and full of wonder. If it would kill him he would surely die happy. He could see Tony open his mouth to talk, but downed the vial before any of them could hold him back.

At first nothing happened.  
The taste in his mouth was sweet and salty at the same time, hot and cold. It coated his tongue, his throat and then suddenly he cried out, falling to his knees.  
Tony was beside him in a moment, holding him close. Bucky could hear him scream at Mj, but he could only hear everything muffled, as if through water. Suddenly he was in the water, his back and head surrounded by the cold, while Tony tugged on his trousers, almost ripping them off. He would have found it hot if it wasn’t for the sudden pain shooting through his lower body, his legs crashing against each other just to hurt so much more.  
Bucky gasped, his vision was bursting in white light, pain in his body and suddenly he wasn’t there in the water, was back in the desert, his arm gone and him screaming his lungs out in the tent where he was captured.  
Bucky didn’t know how long it went, could have been seconds, could have been hours but suddenly there was a voice, warm hands on his chest, in his hair, cradling him against a warm body, could hear the heartbeat of another person strong and steady, maybe a bit too fast, but there it was. 

“You’re safe. I’m with you. You’re safe Bucky. You’ve done it. Fucks sake what happened with him Mj? Was he supposed to hurt like that? God. Sh… it’s okay. I’m here.”

There was some more babbling from Tony, kisses to his forehead and Bucky snuggled into the touch. He groaned quiet and slung his arms around Tony’s hips,closing his eyes to inhale the man. It smelled of Tony, fresh, manly and a bit of motor oil surrounded by salt which could be from the sea, but Bucky knew it was Tony too. He didn’t know if Tony smelled of ocean before the whole ordeal, but he liked it.

“I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore. Feels a lot better. What the hell was that?”

Bucky tried to stand up, shifting his legs that felt very strange just to stare at a long tail, spread fins at the end and all over his back-tail? Bucky didn’t even know how to call it.

“Oh my god.” He whispered, everything else forgotten now that he could see what had happened.

“I’m a mermaid.”

There was short snort from Tony who nuzzled his nose in Bucky’s hair, dragging him a bit closer into the now -that Bucky tried to look at his own ass- awkward embrace.

“Well technically you’re a merman. Or a were-merman. Is that even a word? Can we make it a word? No, don’t say anything, I’m a genius, when I demand it to be a word, then it is a word.”

Bucky only nodded, too much in awe of what had happened. He really had a tail now. It looked beautiful, similar to Tony’s but not as bright in color. It was more green and blue maybe turquoise. Had he be a woman maybe he would have had a clue about what color it was. Instead he just laughed out and dragged Tony’s head down onto his own, capturing his lips in a sloppy and not at all arousing kiss. It was more of a surprise kiss, an act of pure joy and Tony laughed into his mouth, his hands coming up in Bucky’s hair and under his shirt when he started to kiss him back.

“I suddenly have a deep craving for sushi-”

Bucky grinned as he growled and tried to bite Tony’s neck for that comment, making his beloved laugh, but still not loosen his grip.

“I am okay, really, you can let go and get your vial so that you can show me all your fancy meeting places for the cool fishes like you are.”

“I’m just glad you can still remember everything.”

Bucky blinked startled and stared at MJ who looked really relieved.

“Wait. You didn’t know about that?”

“Well, it’s not like I’m changing people the whole time! It’s the first time I’ve done something that big! That’s why I wanted you to not go too far into the ocean, so that we could catch him again.”

Bucky could feel Tony stare at her and get slightly annoyed so he dragged him into another kiss. He didn’t want Tony to be angry at her. Of course something could have gone wrong but everything was okay now, wasn’t it?

“It functioned, didn’t it? We can be together like that. The pain was intense but now it’s gone for real. You don’t need to worry. Come on, I wanna try if I can outswim you.”

He grinned when Tony shook his head and grabbed the vial, kicking off his own shoes and pants, blushed when he could see Tony standing naked as god created him in front of - yeah. MJ had seen it too, shrieked and turned, waving with one arm and causing Bucky to laugh again.

“Can’t you warn a girl!”

She didn’t seem to be too offended, laughing too and somehow breathless and in awe, like she couldn’t believe she had really done that. Bucky felt for her. It was so surreal, so crazy but on the other hand exciting and awesome!  
Tony just grinned and downed the vial on his own, his own transformation much smoother and somehow without pain, one moment he sat there and the next his legs merged together, scales sprouting all over and a huge fin was forming all on it’s own. It was breathtaking and just looking at him in his merman form made Bucky need to kiss him again, maybe do a bit more. Now that he wasn’t a human anymore he felt the need to kiss him deeper, rub himself against Tony, a thought that made him blush.

“Okay. If you are both feeling well I’m going home, it’s cold and I wanna see the way back to my home again. I will meet you tomorrow on the shore, right here at this spot, around midday to see if you can change back without problems. In my book it’s written that when you dry you will turn back, and when you hit ocean water you will turn into merman. You should be safe in pools or in the rain. Hopefully. We will see. I- okay good night.”

MJ turned and rushed back home, leaving them there at the beach, a suspicious blush on her face.

“Huh. What was that ab-hmpf.”

Bucky wasn’t able to finish his sentence, strong hands dragging him closer to the ocean, right into Tony’s embrace where heated lips sealed his own.

“God. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“You’ve seen the little mermaid?”

“.... yes?”

“I wanted to know how they mate for like forever. Wanna give it a try?”

“God Tony. That was-”

“Forward, sexy, demanding?”

“So bad. What about this, you’re selling me your ocean and a private mating dance and I will consider mating with you?”

Bucky laughed when Tony pouted and nudged him with his shoulder.

“Come on. Show me everything.”

Tony laughed and took his hand, snuggling close and kissing him, this time with lesser heat and a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“How about I swim away and you trying to catch me and show me what you can do with your hot body over there?”

Bucky groaned and rolled his eyes in a playful way, trying out his fin and shooting forward a tiniest bit. It wasn’t that hard, in fact it felt kinda natural to move. Also he may or may not have been a very good swimmer.

“How about you catch me?”

Bucky laughed out loud as he poked Tony in the side and swam forward, sneaking out of Tony’s hands and dashing to the nearest coral. This was fun. He could see why Tony wanted to be a merman, laughing and chasing until they were surrounded by hundreds of little silvery fishes, catching Tony’s hands again and grinning at each other.

A new beginning.  
A new life.

They were happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the amazing [Araydre](http://archiveofourown.org/users/araydre/pseuds/araydre) for her art and her reading and betaing and cheerreading all the time! You're a gift!
> 
> Also so much thanks for the talented [rebelmeg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg) rebelmag that managed to beta the fic in one night! Thank you so much! You're awesome!


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